Skadi

[Tess]

The Snow-Shoe Goddess, Giantess, the Norse embodiment of winter. Frost-rimed winter berries, crisp pine needle, and a slush of bright snowy notes.

In the bottle - A lot less cold smelling than expected. In the forefront is the balsam pine, not as strong and killer as most pines to my nose. I'm getting just about no berry here.

Wet - Hrm... nothing, really.

Drying - This is a very nice pine. I actually really like it. It's not overwhelming, although it is in the front. I get the barest hint of berries making this sweet. It reminds me very much of a Christmas tree, one that's been in the livingroom a few days, adding it's scent to the holiday cooking. It's light, though. Very light.

Dry (2 hours) - This is very nice, but very faint. The pine note was just PERFECT, although I could have used more berry to it and more something else. It is almost a single note.

Overall - I can see why this is loved.

[Cheri]

I got to try Skadi, thanks to Waternight for a swap sniffie. At first its all pine, but then as its drying other notes such as berry come out and it becomes softer and sweeter. Its certainly a cold scent, but makes you feel warm while wearing it. The throw is excellent, and its also long lasting.

 

Skadi reminds me of a combination of The Snow Storm and Shivering Boy, both of which I didn't keep . I think I like it better than the others though, but maybe for someone who's really wishing for Skadi to return, try layering The Snow Storm and Shivering Boy. I can see why Skadi is loved by so many.

[saralaughs]

Minty, piney BO. Seriously. I even checked to make sure I put on deo this morning, it's so realistic.

[mooncityminx]

Someone gifted me a sniffy of this. I was very excited, having sniffed someone's bottle at a meet-n-sniff, some years ago. I couldn't actually remember what it smelled like after that long, I just remembered it was wonderful.

 

All I am getting is the berry note and the pine. But it does smell very cheerful and Christmas-y. Maybe it is the age of this sniffy that has me missing out on mint and snow. If it ever comes back, I will buy a bottle, but my memory of it is better than the actual thing on my wrist.

[puck_nc]

Origin: half-imp obtained in a swap

 

Initial thoughts: I tried this one early on in my BPAL career and have been searching in vain for its perfect balance of wintry notes. Hollyberry & Mistletoe comes close, as does Mistletoe 2004. But every Yule I cross my fingers and say a prayer that Skadi will revisit us.

 

In the Vial: Cold, cold pine with just a hint of sweet berry underneath.

 

Wet: Strongly pine, which does not surprise me as some woods, mainly sandalwood, can amp on me. But it's a natural pine, like burying my nose in the tree. There is no candle impression, no Pine-sol.

 

Drydown: Crisp, cool berries emerge to blend beautifully with the pine. The snow element from the vial is the only part that stays a suggestion rather than a full player.

 

Verdict: I think I'll start sending my "bring Skadi back" vibes early this year...

[AmyO'Shields]

I'm finally getting to try this, thanks to the lovely Stellans for sending me a decant!

 

I've always been a fan of Mistletoe and The Snowstorm and figured Skadi (despite the hype) would be similar...

 

Nope. I don't know what I'm smelling apart from cold slushy pine and bright red winter berries, but it's much more than that. There's a musky quality to the scent (after about 2 hours of wear) which is amazing. I wholeheartedly agree with everyone that has said that this is the perfect Yule scent...it is. I will enjoy my Mistletoe and Snowstorm, but will break Skadi out for Yule and for the first night that it snows after I make it back to NY...what a magical scent. yes, please resurrect?!

[SheriffJoe]

I received this as a half-decant purchase and I am 100% behind the effort to make this a GC scent, not just ofr Yules. Skadi is gorgeous, and I also get the muskiness after a while. This has been going strong on my wrists now for coming up on 9 hours. The pine, berry, musk combination is enough to drool over...pardon me while I grab a napkin!

[meatcake]

2013 version.

 

THE FABLED SKADI. I HAS IT, THE PRECIOUS. Many of us have been waiting years for this extremely rare Yule baby. Yessss.

At first, I didn't care for Skadi. Fresh out of the bottle, it's very sharp and heavy on the ozone. I could only really smell the one note, snow (ozone?), so it didn't feel that special to me. After a couple of minutes, I got a hug from the man, and he noted that I "smelled good" - good sign! As time wore on and the scent had a chance to mellow, the other notes emerged-- the sweet berry and even a muskiness that really rounds out the aroma nicely. At times, I even catch whiff of peppermint.

 

I'm really digging Skadi now, hours later. It smells fresh, sweet, and musky. Very unusual!

[Polly]

2013 version fresh from the Lab.

 

I have some Skadi! Finally! The much loved, fabled Skadi!

 

Gorgeous. Minty, cool, piney goodness.

[reynardine]

2013 version. Wasn't sure what to expect. From the bottle, it seemed like a rather generic "outdoor" scent, but once it hit my skin it blossomed into minty snow pine needles!

[MiasmaResonance]

2013 version.

In the bottle, it's much like this: PINE! BERRY! ~snow~ I like it for sure.

 

On: This is an unusual and yummy winter scent. It's not foody, but still manages to be delicious. It's like a juicy, voluptuous berry has been frozen right at the height of ripeness, in the middle of a snow covered pine forest. Very pretty.

 

Reminds me of Almond Blossom, which I tested earlier, except this has the pine berry thing going on and is a little less floral.

 

Overall though, I'm on the fence. It smells lovely and unusual in the bottle and initially on me, but I don't think I'd wear it much, and as it dries I don't like it as much. I don't know!

 

*edit*

 

Swapping this.

Edited December 15, 2013 by MiasmaResonance

[GoddesShel]

Skadi 2013.

 

Let me start off by saying here that most mint and I are not friends. But Skadi has turned that into *most* mint, instead of "EWWWW I hate mint!"*

 

This is mainly mint and pine in the bottle. I spilled a tiny bit on the table runner. My dining room will smell like minty pine til I get a chance to wash it. (Don't ask why I was testing perfumes at the dining room table, ok? )

 

On me, still mainly mint and pine - no berries at all

 

When completely dry, it does indeed smell like Christmas in a bottle. Piney mint (instead of minty pine) with just a HINT of berries. I would have loved more berries, but I'm not complaining. It's still a really nice Yule scent.

[puck_nc]

Origin: Straight from the Lab, ordered the minute I saw it.

 

Initial Thoughts: I have been hoping and begging for this scent to be brought back for ages. I acquired a half-imp of the original 2004 Skadi sometime in 2006 or 2007 (though I only got around to properly reviewing it in 2011). It's the most natural-smelling pine I've ever encountered in a perfume, and with the snow and winter berries it's such a gorgeous snowy-outdoors scent. I've found consolation with a couple of blends like Mistletoe or BPTP's Hollyberry and Mistletoe. I've missed out every single time a bottle of Skadi appeared on eBay. So that shriek you probably heard in three states a couple of weeks ago, soon after Yules went up? Probably me.

 

In the Bottle: I'm comparing it to my imp, which I've tried to keep carefully over the years, but has certainly aged. The imp is more strongly pine with snow, while the new bottle seems to have more berry to it. There's the slightest tinge of fruity/citrusy something to the new bottle that I don't get at all from my decant.

 

Wet: A cool but not cold blast of pine with that rich multifaceted fruity undertone quickly shifts into an almost minty pine. The aged Skadi is much chillier and is missing a lot of that fruity layer.

 

Drydown: New Skadi stays wonderfully sparkly and blended, keeping the minty pine and tang of berries under a lovely blanket of snow. Old Skadi is more straight-up snowy pines, but still beautiful in its ability to be natural rather than fake-candle smell.

 

Verdict: I am still in love and will almost certainly be grabbing more bottles before this treasure gets away.

[Teaker]

In the bottle: alcohol? With a hint of cleaning product.

 

On Skin: Ozone. Thought I got a touch of sweetness, but then it was gone.

 

Dry: I've seen people who can't wear the snow note describe it as "dryer sheets" and that's exactly what this is on me. No-name brand dryer sheets, its a very chemical smell. What a disappointment! Skadi was probably what I was most excited about in my order. I guess that serves me right for buying a snow blend when I've never tried one before.

 

Edit: I let this sit for 2 weeks and then re-tested. My first sniff was not dryer sheets, but a blast of chilly air laden with pine! It oscillates on my skin between a mint smell and a chilly forest smell. There is sweetness underneath, but it doesn't smell like berries. Maybe a vanilla?

This seems to improve every time I wear it. It still leans a bit towards an artificial cleanser smell, but since aging just a bit has improved it so much I'm very hopeful for the future.

Edited January 11, 2014 by Teaker

[mymymai]

ITB: Delicious, effervescent snow notes followed by bright red berries and a faint wafting of pine needles. I'm so pleased Beth brought this one back!

 

Wet: The pine needle note is stronger on my skin, but the berries and sparkling snow notes still holding their own. This is such an absolutely gorgeous winter scent!

 

Dry: After 19 hours, I'm surprised that I can even detect anything, but sure enough, I'm getting a beautiful scent of soft snow and bright red berries.

[Helas]

I was introduced to BPAL years after the original Skadi came out and never got the chance to try it, although the notes and reviews had always appealed to me. When Ondurdis came out two years ago, many reviewers compared it to Skadi, which intrigued me enough to buy a decant. I loved Ondurdis but had some financial difficulties at the time and never got the chance to buy a bottle, and the scent has become rather hard-to-find since then. Just as the release of Ondurdis made many people hope they would find their long-lost Skadi, now the re-release of Skadi made me hope that I would find my long-lost Ondurdis. It's funny how these things work out.

 

When wet, Skadi is all about the chilly pine, mint and ozone notes. The mint is strong and has a cooling effect on the skin. The ozone is light and doesn't have that sharp, metallic tang that it sometimes has - it just smells bright, sparkly, and a little lemony. The pine note is the main player and it is beautiful, evoking the feeling of walking through an evergreen forest on a wintry night.

 

As the scent dries, the berry (mostly cranberry) notes emerge, as does a faint vanilla cream note. This is where the scent differs from Ondurdis; the berry and vanilla notes were dominant in Ondurdis and made it more like a foodie scent with outdoorsy elements, whereas Skadi is an outdoorsy pine forest scent with some light foodie touches. I suspect, however, that as Skadi ages the mint note will fade and the vanilla will become more prominent.

 

This is a lovely seasonal scent and I have no problem believing it would inspire a rabid following. I'm not sure it will replace Ondurdis for me, but it's quite beautiful on its own merits.

[HighPriestessIce]

I could almost swear I am smelling a Lick It. I am getting a creamy vanilla mint with the barest hint of pine needles and berries. As it dries the pine and berries come forward just a little. I can feel the coolness from the ozone but it stays in check.

[Nepthys]

One of my favorites of the 5 Yules I bought. This is my first Skadi, and it reminds me a lot of Snow Bunny - cool and snowy and sharp, with a hint of something berry-sweet. The snow and pine definitely dominate, and it fades quickly. A keeper for sure.

[rinster]

I'm so happy this isn't too heavy on the pine, it's a harmonious mélange of pine, mint, and berries. So cheerful!

Edited December 31, 2013 by rinster

[MtMoonKitty]

In the bottle and wet on the skin the snow note is predominant almost to the point of smelling chemical. This is also when I can smell the berry the most. After about an hour of dry down, the chemical is gone and it is lightly reminiscent of a snow covered forest. I love the dry down but sadly it doesn't have much throw or staying power on me so unfortunately requires reapplying.... and this means the harsh wet smell. I do like it and I suspect that a little aging will go a long way, so I will be hanging on to this.

[khemistry]

Pinesol chemical sludge when wet. Dries down to pine and floral (berry?). Still smells like a cross between floor cleaner and a bad x-mas candle. I was really interested to try this since it was so well-rated. Alas, this will not be a bottle purchase.

[Numanoid]

2013 version

 

Wet in bottle: fizzy, berry, and soft pine. As if a Christmas tree was turned into a berry soda!

 

On Skin: Hmm....smells like a berry pine cleaner!

 

Drydown: The "cleaner" scent luckily goes away. I get a very sweet berry scent, but not overbearing. Was hoping for a nice, soft pine that didn't smell like household cleaner, but so far, most of the "holiday pine" scents I have tried either smell that way or fades. This is nice, but getting a slight, slight soapy-ness to it.

 

Sadly, not for me...maybe with age it gets better??

[skyelyric]

I was another of those who came way late to the party to try the original, but this was one of the past Yules that I very seriously wanted to get hold of.

 

Oh. My. Dog. THIS is the scent I have been trying to find since my first introduction to the Yules. In the bottle I get an almost effervescent fruity mint scent, distinctly cold but uplifting. When first applied the mint turns into more of a cold, menthol-y sensation than a distinct minty smell, the pine beomes evident, and the berries pick up a citrusy vibe and kind of twine through everything. As it dries, Skadi stays very well blended on me, nothing seems to overpower or disappear. Chilly, sweet, and absolutely gorgeous. Sadly it doesn't seem to last more than 2 or 3 hours on me. One word of caution though--if you have issues with mint, be very careful about applying this. I have contact sensitivities to mints, and although it's not breaking me out or anything, I can still feel where I applied in the crease of my elbow (half an hour ago). When I tested a little on my forearm though nothing happened.

 

Skadi totally lives up to my hopes. This is what I hoped Woods in Winter would smell like in the 2010 Yules, and much as I love Woods for its own unique scent, it's sweeter and sharper with berries, a little soapier, and not as cold in comparison.

 

very late eta: although the orignal applied scent only last a few hours, the Ghost of Skadi lasts a *really long time* on me, like 12+ hours later I get faint delicate wafts of this gorgeous delicate scent that is reminiscent of clean laundry but 100 times better.

Edited March 2, 2014 by skyelyric

[cherrycherry]

Testing the 2013 version - lab fresh.

 

Oh. This is much nicer than I expected it to, despite the rave reviews that had already made me excited. Perfectly cool and sweet, this really is a wonderful snow blend. It positively glows on my skin and is gorgeous on my husband too. I don't get much pine. It seems to be mainly like some sort of fizzy, berry-laden snow cone flavouring syrup. Lovely.

[Poenari]

I don't care for ozone, snow notes, or most pine, but I decided to go aheade and order a bottle of Skadi unsniffed, because I decided that I needed a wintery scent anyway, and it came with such raves. I am very glad that I got this. It is exactly as described, a wintery pine with berries, and smells just like Christmas should smell. It is also very long-lasting... dries down to a slightly musky winterberry scent. Very very nice, and unlike anything else I own. I won't wear it often, but I will absolutely enjoy wearing it during the holiday season and am so glad that I bought it!